1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to game controllers for electronic gaming tables and devices, and more particularly to security enclosures and cabinets for such game controllers.
2. Description of Related Art
Modem casinos have a wide variety of gaming devices to entertain patrons and produce revenue. These gaming devices may include electromechanical slot machines and a variety of manually dealt card games such as poker, twenty-one, roulette, baccarat, and the like. In recent years, electronic versions of such games have replaced many of the manual versions. For example, many slot machines utilize electronic versions of spinning reels. These reels may be reproduced on a video display that is controlled by a video controller. Likewise, all of the major card games now appear in electronic form on similar video displays.
A controller generally operates electronic gaming devices. The controller can be built into the cabinet or housing of the gaming device or it can be connected to the gaming device from a remote location, such as a control room, by one or more cables. Game controllers can also be used to control a number of different gaming devices. For example, casino-type lottery systems generally utilize a number of separate gaming devices on the floor of a casino. The gaming devices request game outcomes from a central controller. The central game controller stores one or more pools of game outcomes that are transmitted to the gaming devices when appropriate.
One problem with electronic controllers is that various casino personnel need to access different portions and controls of the game controller at various times. However, because of the need for strict security in a gaming environment, it is often necessary to restrict access to sensitive components of the controller. For example, an operator might require only access to control certain game functions necessary to keep play going, while a management person might be the proper person to access more basic functions, such as resetting the game controller, and only maintenance personnel might be qualified to work on the electronics of the game controller. Likewise, the cable assemblies that connect the game controller to the gaming device being controlled tend to be loosened, removed, or stolen from time-to-time. Therefore, it is also desirable to restrict access to the cable assemblies to specifically authorized persons.
The lockable security cabinet for game controllers provides multiple levels of security wherein only authorized persons can access specific controls, electronics, and cable connections of the game controller. The security cabinet further provides convenient access to the game controller electronics and cable assemblies by means of the slide-out design of the main cabinet with the base recessed in the gaming table or other enclosure, a plurality of access doors, and the slide opening design of the cable enclosure.
These and other advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification, claims, and abstract.
The invention is a lockable security cabinet for game controllers such as used in gambling casinos to operate and control one or more gaming terminals. The security cabinet houses the electronics of the game controller, and the cable connectors at one end of respective cable assemblies connected thereto for communications with external devices. The security cabinet comprises a main cabinet having a plurality of interconnected walls defining an enclosable inner compartment for housing the electronic components of the game controller, and one or more lockable access devices, typically comprising one or more key switches which control access to specific game controller functions, and/or one or more lockable access members such as key lockable doors pivotally connected to the main cabinet. Each access member is movable upon unlocking thereof to provide access to at least a portion of the electronic components of the game controller within the main cabinet, preferably an access member disposed at the top of the main cabinet for access to the processor boards and the power supply, and an access member disposed at the front of the main cabinet for access to the user accessible components (i.e: those components of the game controller which must be accessed on a regular basis) such as keyboard and monitor ports which allow a keyboard and a monitor to be connected to the game controller to program, operate, and maintain the game controller. Other such user accessible components include ports for memory devices such as ROM cards, flash memory cards, and communications devices.
An access member can also be movably connected to the main cabinet to control access to the connection and disconnection of cable assemblies. This access member for the cables preferably comprises a portion of a base on which the main cabinet is movably mounted such as for sliding in a front-to-rear direction. The portion of the base, such as comprising an enclosure structure, preferably is at a rear portion of the base for connection of the cable assemblies at the rear of the main cabinet or at a side portion of the base for connection of the cables assemblies at the side of the main cabinet, in both cases with the cables exiting rearwardly therefrom, so as to substantially enclose and retain the connector of the cable assemblies connected to the game controller. The cable of the cable assembly attached thereto extends through an elongate gap while the main cabinet is in a retracted, or closed position on the base. The main cabinet is lockable in such a closed position by means of a key lock. A rear cable guide bracket can be affixed to the rear of the main cabinet for guiding cable assemblies during forward and backward movement of the main cabinet on the base. Other types of cables which can be locked include Ethernet, parallel, various communication, VGA (video), coax, audio, etc. Typically, to provide the various levels of security, each key lock requires a different key to unlock.